1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a computerized filing and retrieval system for signatures and pictorial documentation. More specifically, the invention relates to such a system wherein a single microcomputer having a hard disc, and which stores the data for the creation of the signatures and pictorial documentation in its hard disc, feeds a plurality of monitors through communication controllers.
2. Description of Prior Art
In prior art devices, as illustrated in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,715, Lemelson, Nov. 10, 1970 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,430, O'Brien, June 2, 1981, pictorial information and the like is stored in its physical form as, for example, microfiche or cards. Thus, in the '715 patent, the pictorial information is stored on an endless belt 18' shown in FIG. 1 of the patent. As described at column 3, lines 50 et seq. of the patent, "The information is stored in the form of recorded areas of belt 18' as frames of documents or picture images which may be developed in photographic film, or printed on photosensitive paper or the like. Said frames are mounted or provided in any suitable manner on the conveyor belt 18 and are preferably arranged in a plurality of aligned columns so that scanning of selected frames and the reproduction of picture signals at the monitor stations may be effected rapidly and without difficulty".
In the '430 Patent, the pictorial information is stored in a film selection and positioning box 38 in FIG. 1 of the Patent. In the example illustrated in the Patent, the pictorial information is stored on microfiche cards 44.
The storage of such pictorial information in its physical form requires rather large amounts of storage space, and also requires physical movement of, for example, the microfiche cards etc. which is both time-consuming and subject to lack of reliability.
It is also known in the art to store pictorial information in encoded form in the memory, for example, the hard disc, of a microcomputer. However, with presently available such systems, the microcomputer typically drives a single monitor to display the pictorial information, and the monitor is disposed in a single predetermined location. Thus, in the environment of a bank, the microcomputer would be disposed in a location perhaps close to the teller stations. However, each time a teller wishes to make use of the pictorial information, he must go to the location of the micro-computer to view the monitor. This is inconvenient and somewhat unreliable. Thus, the teller must carry with him in his human memory an image of a customer whose identity he wishes to ascertain. If the customer is not the true customer but looks somewhat like the true customer, then the teller can very easily make a positive identification in error.
In a large plant having several entrances being relatively far from each other, such a system would be completely useless unless a separate microcomputer is placed at each entrance.